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A long-delayed fire suppression project along King’s Mountain Road in San Mateo County’s Huddert County Park was set to start on Monday, July 15.
The work, a joint project between the San Mateo County Parks Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, will create a shaded field break that gets rid of undergrowth while preserving a canopy of larger trees.
The field break “keeps the area shaded with the field moisture up and the temperature down, so it’s wetter and cooler,” said Rich Sampson, division chief for Cal Fire in Felton. “In a fire it keeps the flame out of the way so you can still use the road as an escape route.”
Trees in designated areas that are under 10 inches in diameter or that are dead or dying will be removed, as well as ground vegetation within 100 feet of fire trails and roads.
Workers will be using heavy equipment in Huddart Park that will create noise and dust and a safety risk, since the equipment can throw debris up to 300 feet, according to a Cal Fire release.
Residents should expect road closures from Monday through Friday in the southwestern region of Huddart Park over the next two months.
For more information call Cal Fire at (831) 335-6740.
Will Kings Mountain Road itself be closed or only roads within Huddart Park? Is there a map of the road closures?
Why just Kings Mountain Road? What about La Honda Rd? What about Peninsula Open Space’s vast holdings, like Thornewood?
What I’ve heard is that 7/15 is now considered an “optimistic” date and they will post signs at both ends of KMR for a couple of weeks before they actually start work. (Since there are no signs on 7/15, we’re likely a couple of weeks from any work starting.) King’s mountain road will be closed to through traffic M-F during working hours, I think 8AM to 5PM. This is all heard through the grapevine so you may want to double check.
Non-resident hikers from Mountain View we are, and Huddart Park access is what we needed – felt lucky to get in, on Weds 9/4 10am – since at the entrance to Huddart. Kings Mtn Rd was totally ROAD-CLOSED closed off heading up towards Skyline. Luckily it looks like we will all be free to use KMR on weekends – like for bike-ride climbs to Skyline and beyond.
They’ve done a lot of brush clearing. Some areas now have a wide open feel.